John Mayer Debuts Grateful Dead Cover At Madison Square Garden

John Mayer unveiled a take on the Grateful Dead classic “Deal” on Thursday night at his first of two sold-out concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Dead & Company guitarist had previously debuted his rendition of the Grateful Dead’s “Fire On The Mountain” at the same venue on April 5, 2017.

In addition to “Deal” and “Fire On The Mountain,” Mayer has also performed Dead songs “Friend Of The Devil” and “Althea” at past solo shows. Last night’s cover of “Deal” came at the end of John’s first set. The Grateful Dead debuted “Deal” in 1971 and a studio version of the song appeared on Jerry Garcia’s 1972 album, Garcia. “Deal” is one of few tunes that were staples of both the Jerry Garcia Band and Grateful Dead repertoires. Mayer has performed “Deal with Dead & Company 35 times.

The rest of Thursday’s performance fell in line with others on Mayer’s 2019 World Tour. He played six songs off his most recent album, The Search For Everything and fit in tunes five tunes from 2006’s Continuum. “Why Georgia” was the only track from Mayer’s first two LPs to make the setlist on Thursday.

John took a few opportunities to address the crowd. At one point he talked about a song being “successful” not mattering as a metric anymore. He also expressed his gratitude to the audience. “I hope more than anything that the people in your life are as patient with you in your coming of age and figuring yourself out as you have been with me,” Mayer told the crowd. “I feel this wonderful sense of arrival to some place that’s well beyond what I even thought was on the menu and you have given me that.”

Watch a few partial clips of last night’s “Deal” below:

Deal Captured by M R

Deal Captured by TheSwedish Traveler

Setlist